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Guitarist for McGill/Manring/Stevens (Michael Manring - Bass; Vic Stevens - Drums) Featured in Guitar Player Magazine Feb. 2007.
Proclaimed "The Thinking Man's Yngwie Malmsteen" by celebrated fusion author/critic Bill Milkowski, Scott McGill has been playing guitar for over twenty five years. His formal training includes a B.M. in Jazz Performance/Composition from Temple University (Summa Cum Laude). For ten years he studied with noted composer Dennis Sandole (who also taught John Coltrane, Pat Martino, and James Moody, among others).
In 1985-86 at the ripe old-age of 19, he was the lead guitarist for RCA recording artist Robert Hazard ("Escalator of Life," "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"). Performances included "Fourth of July on the Parkway" at the Philadelphia Art Museum with Jimmy Page, Joan Jett, and the Beach Boys (800,000 people in attendance). He formed his first group The Hand Farm in 1991 which went on to tour with international recording artists Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, and Maceo Parker. Praise for the first disc "The Hand Farm" (released in 1997) came from Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, U.K.), Wayne Krantz (Steely Dan), Greg Howe (Shrapnel Records), and Jens Johansson (Yngwie Malmsteen, Stratovarius).
McGill became the guitarist for the prog-rock band Finneus Gauge (1997-1999) releasing "More Once More" and "One Inch Of The Fall" to critical acclaim in progressive rock circles and the mainstream press (1997-Guitar World's "Top 10 Prog Bands" and Keyboard Magazine's "Best Of 1997"). Around this time he released his second solo Hand Farm disc "Ripe" on The Laser's Edge label featuring Vic Stevens on drums, Chico Huff on bass, and Demitrios Pappas on keyboards. He left Finneus Gauge in 1999 and wrote material for what was to be the first disc with MMS-McGill Manring Stevens.
The first MMS discs "Addition by Subtraction"(produced by Grammy-winning producer Neil Kernon-Brand X, Queensryche, Judas Priest, Nevermore) and double album "Controlled by Radar," were recorded with world renowned bassist Michael Manring and drummer Vic Stevens. Dream Theater/Liquid Tension Experiment keyboardist Jordan Rudess is a prominently featured guest performer on "ABS". These discs were released by Free Electric Sound worldwide-a division of The Laser's Edge. Support of "ABS" included touring in North America with special guest legendary bassist Percy Jones from Brand X . Scott, Michael, and Vic performed at NAMM 2001 in Anaheim, CA to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response. The band then embarked on a second sucessful tour of the east coast and central U.S. in 2002 to support "CBR".
McGill also kept busy as a teacher, clinician/endorsing artist, and guest soloist on many progressive, fusion, jazz, and prog-metal releases. MMS now has a brand new 2006 studio album, "What We Do" featuring the mixing wizardry of David Torn and liner notes by Bill Milkowski. This is a disc of jazz standards done the MMS way with a bonus disc of live material from their "Addition By Subtraction" Tour in 2001.
The band "FreakZoid" with Scott, bassist Kjell Benner, and drummer Ritchie DeCarlo has been launched and the band will have a new disc out in 2007. Videos of this band are on this site for viewing. Scott released a disc of fretless guitar material in late September 2006 with Ritchie DeCarlo and bassist Chico Huff entitled "Awareness" and recently new material has been recorded with Ritchie and legendary bassist Percy Jones (Brand X, Tunnels) for eventual release. Special guests include Stick Player Dave Kloss and Warr Guitarist Markus Ruder (Pat Mastelotto).
As a teacher, McGill is Senior Lecturer Of Guitar at The University Of The Arts in Philadelphia and Stockton College in Pomona, NJ. He is an endorsing artist for Brian Moore Guitars, DR Strings, Koch Amplifiers, Seymour Duncan Pickups, and NeckStix Guitar Cleaners.
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